to Tiller's Ferry over Big Lynch's Creek, reaching and encamping in the vicinity of the creek the evening of February 26.

I did not get the crossing until March 1, and I was then obliged to build a heavy bridge of over 100 yards in length before I could move my command over. This was begun and completed the night of March 1, and at 7 o'clock the next morning my entire division had crossed the creek. Moving out of camp from the east side of the creek at 9 a.m. the 2nd of March, I marched via New Market, encamping my division one mile north of Cheraw on the evening of March 4. Breaking camp again on the morning of March 6 I crossed the pontoon bridge over the Pedee River and continued my advance without any interruption from the enemy, crossing Lumber River the 10th instant, and encamped March 12 within three miles of Fayetteville on the evening of March 14, I crossed Cape Fear River the same night, encamping about one mile beyond the pontoon bridge. At this point the First Brigade, Brevet Brigadier-General Woods commanding, was detached from my command and assigned to duty, by order of Major-General Logan, as escort for the trains of the army corps that were to march by a different route. Moving forward on the morning of March 16, I continued on the road as taken by the remaining divisions of the corps, reaching the neighborhood of Cox's Bridge over the Neuse River on the evening of March 19. I encamped my division in position about half a mile from the point of intersection as made by the Bentonville road with that on which I had been marching and intrenched my position the same night.

The next morning, the 20th instant, in compliance with the orders given me by Major-General Logan, with Colonel Catterson in the advance, I moved out on the road toward the bridge until reaching the point of intersection above referred to, when I took the road leading to the left toward Bentonville. I marched about four miles before I struck the outposts of the enemy, but from that time forward my advance had to be made under cover of a good line of skirmishers, and about 11 a.m., or when I had advanced some eight miles on this road, the Forty-sixth Ohio Infantry, then deployed as skirmishers, became so actively engaged with the enemy that I immediately deployed the two brigades of my division on either side of the road, selecting the most advantageous ground and throwing up light rail-works in front of my line. The Forty-sixth Ohio Infantry having dislodged the rebels, and by a most gallant charge driven them from a strong and extensive line of rail pits that they had established covering the road at the fork leading toward Smithfield, in obedience to the directions received from Major-General Logan I immediately moved my line sup to this point and at once took position, extending my lines so as to include both roads beyond the forks. the Forty-sixth Ohio Infantry, still deployed as skirmishers, was moved down the road leading toward Smithfield, supported by the One hundredth Indiana Infantry. The Twenty-fifth Iowa Infantry was promptly deployed forward, covering the road upon which I had been marching. The Forty-sixth Ohio Infantry soon struck the main line of the enemy, discovering him admirably posted behind well-constructed works. The right of the Twenty-fifth Iowa also had not gone far before meeting the rebels behind their works. The left of this regiment, that had by this time connected itself with the right of the Second Division skirmish line, moved forward with it and gradually swung around to the right, leaving the road entirely in the rear, so that the enemy's line was now developed as running almost parallel to the road on which my column had been marching and extending across the Smithfield fork